Crawdaddy's "Random Thoughts" about Home Video, Film & TV (2 Viewers)

[Robert Crawford]

I've been slacking on my disc viewing as I received a bunch of new Blu-rays, but, haven't watched any of them except "The Far Country". I've been to the movie theater three times in a week so I'm watching movies just not those released on Blu-ray.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Eddie talking about "Deception" (1946) an underrated film in my opinion. It's been a long time since my last viewing of it so I need to rectify that situation in the near future.

Edit: I see it's playing on the TCM app and is available to view until December 19th. I'll probably just watch my HD Digital that I bought earlier this year from iTunes.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Is having a very critical eye towards audio and video presentations of movies a gift or a curse? I tend to believe it's more of the latter as I think it takes away some enjoyment from just watching movies. Over the last 20 years, I read and moderate this forum every day and there is little question in my mind that some grandmother watching TCM on a daily basis on her 40" TV that's probably not setup correctly, gets more enjoyment from watching classic movies on that channel than some HTF members with their mid-high end equipment watching the latest Blu-rays and 4K/UHD discs. Am I wrong with that perception? Perhaps, I am wrong. However, I don't see a lot of joy on this forum when there should be considering where we were at, back in day watching classic movies on our old black & white TV sets that helped spurn our love for classic movies in the first place.

I get it, we want perfection. We want every movie on disc to follow this forum's Mission Statement. However, we all know that perfection is difficult to achieve in home video products. Years ago, if the studios took better care of their assets then perhaps the final home video products we're buying would be much better than they are today. If the studios spent more monies on preparing their home video products, we would receive better products. Unfortunately, we live in a world of reality in which compromises have been made and corporate "greed or profitability" is the "all mighty" for any studio or company releasing movies either digitally or on disc.

Yes, I understand the grief being expressed about "It's a Wonderful Life" and "The Far Country" discs. For the former, I don't see the same video imperfections that so many posters have expressed seeing on disc, digitally or just with posted pictures. TBH, I'm relieved that I don't see those imperfections At this time in my life when I'm entering my twilight years, I just want to enjoy my favorite movies and if they're not perfect or they don't adhere to the segment of HTF's Mission Statement posted below then it's a disappointment. We've all lived with disappointments and it's something you will never run short of, if you live long enough. However, I refuse to allow disappointment to overcome my enjoyment of watching my favorite movies for perhaps the last time or close to my last viewings of such movies.

It's the same with me too, Eddie except it wasn't Dialing for Dollars. Does anybody from NYC Metro area remember Dialing for Dollars on our local channels back in the 1960s?

 

[Rodney]

It's the same with me too, Eddie except it wasn't Dialing for Dollars. Does anybody from NYC Metro area remember Dialing for Dollars on our local channels back in the 1960s?

What a great shout-out to Pat McCormick, Dialing for Dollars, and KTVU. I also was "sick" a day or two so I could stay home from school to watch a particular movie.

 

[Matt Hough]

Many TV markets must have had a variation on Dialing for Dollars. Charlotte had one, too, but it came on at 4 p.m., so I didn't have to cut school to see it.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Albany had it's own Dialing for Dollars that aired daily at 9am.

 

[Rob_Ray]

So did Houston. 9am.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This week's Noir Alley movie is "Kansas City Confidential" (1952) starring John Payne with a terrific supporting cast with some of my favorite character actors. I'm going to finally watch my 2016 Film Detective Blu-ray before Eddie shows it on TCM. I'm not expecting much from Film Detective based on prior BD releases, but, they might surprise me.

TCM's Noir Alley 2019 schedule.

03-09-19: D.O.A. (1950)
03-16-19: High Sierra (1941)
03-23-19: Lady in the Lake (1946)
03-30-19: Border Incident (1949)
04-06-19: 99 River Street (1953)
04-13-19: Nobody Lives Forever (1946)
04-20-19: M (1951)
04-27-19: Woman on the Run (1950)
05-04-19: Nightmare Alley (1947)
05-11-19: White Heat (1949)
05-18-19: Key Largo (1948)
05-25-19: Dead Reckoning (1947)
06-01-19: The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
06-08-19: Nora Prentiss (1947)
06-15-19: Pickup on South Street (1953)
06-22-19: Shadow on the Wall (1950)
06-29-19: On Dangerous Ground (1951)
07-06-19: The Tattooed Stranger (1950)
07-13-19: The People Against O'Hara (1951)
07-20-19: While the City Sleeps (1956)
07-27-19: Thieves' Highway (1949)
09-07-19: The Big Clock (1948)
09-14-19: Nocturne (1946)
09-21-19: The Woman on the Beach (1947)
09-28-19: The Harder They Fall (1956)
10-05-19: Trapped (1949)
10-12-19: Clash By Night (1952)
10-19-19: This Gun For Hire (1942)
10-26-19: Force of Evil (1948)
11-02-19: Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
11-09-19: Johnny Eager (1941)
11-16-19: The Hitch-Hiker (1953)
11-23-19: Kansas City Confidential (1952)
11-30-19: The Mask of Dimitrios (1944)
12-07-19: Berlin Express (1948)
12-14-19: Criss Cross (1949)
12-21-19: Cash on Demand (1961)
12-28-19: Repeat Performance (1947)
01-04-20: The Big Sleep (1946)
01-11-20: The Big Night (1951)
01-18-20: The Captive City (1952)
01-25-20: Try and Get Me! (1950)

 

[Robert Crawford]

Today I received and watched the Australian Blu-ray of "To Hell and Back" (1955) starring Audie Murphy. Not a pristine video presentation and looks like it was sourced from an older transfer, but, it's a big improvement over my 2004 DVD. In 2.35:1 ratio, but no subtitles or bonus material.

 

[Cranston37+]

"Kansas City Confidential" is a personal favorite of mine, even if I've never been a huge fan of John Payne.

It might be a strange comment to make, but I've always thought it was ripe for a modern remake. It has a clever premise that could benefit from being expanded and opened up a little.

 

[Mark-P]

Today I received and watched the Australian Blu-ray of "To Hell and Back" (1955) starring Audie Murphy. Not a pristine video presentation and looks like it was sourced from an older transfer, but, it's a big improvement over my 2004 DVD. In 2.35:1 ratio, but no subtitles or bonus material.

That’s interesting. It used to be nearly impossible to get Australian Blu-rays at a decent price because you had to import them from Australian retailers. Now Amazon stocks them.

 

[Robert Crawford]

That’s interesting. It used to be nearly impossible to get Australian Blu-rays at a decent price because you had to import them from Australian retailers. Now Amazon stocks them.

I got mine from Deep Discount at a much cheaper price at less than $18 (tax included) with one of their 10% off codes.

 

[Matt Hough]

I don't think I've ever seen Kansas City Confidential so I'm really looking forward to the film and, naturally, Eddie's comments.

 

[Robin9]

I don't think I've ever seen Kansas City Confidential so I'm really looking forward to the film and, naturally, Eddie's comments.

It's a pretty good crime film and I'm overdue for another viewing so I might watch the DVD tonight.

 

[Robert Crawford]

"Kansas City Confidential" is a personal favorite of mine, even if I've never been a huge fan of John Payne.

It might be a strange comment to make, but I've always thought it was ripe for a modern remake. It has a clever premise that could benefit from being expanded and opened up a little.

It's never been remade, but, it has been an influence on at least one current filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I don't think I've ever seen Kansas City Confidential so I'm really looking forward to the film and, naturally, Eddie's comments.

On the 2002 DVD there is a bonus segment in which a much younger Eddie conducted an interview with Colleen Gray. Eddie wrote some of his Dark City books before this interview as they made it clear this wasn't their first interview together. Ever since I first saw her in "Red River" I had a crush on her. She confided to Eddie she wanted to play the "bad" girl just once.

After watching this Blu-ray, I'm going to keep that 2002 DVD for that bonus segment as the DVD video presentation was awful. The 2007 DVD from MGM thru Fox has a much better video presentation. The 2016 Film Detective Blu-ray was better than I thought it would be, but, with some missing film grain. I'm not as sensitive to this as others, however, it was noticeable to me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes, Eddie I concur and tomorrow I will definitely watch "Naked Alibl" as I can never get enough of her:

 

[Robin9]

On the 2002 DVD there is a bonus segment in which a much younger Eddie conducted an interview with Colleen Gray. Eddie wrote some of his Dark City books before this interview as they made it clear this wasn't their first interview together. Ever since I first saw her in "Red River" I had a crush on her. She confided to Eddie she wanted to play the "bad" girl just once.

She did play a bad girl - more a naughty girl really - in Tennessee's Partner, again with John Payne.

 

[Robert Crawford]

She did play a bad girl - more a naughty girl really - in Tennessee's Partner, again with John Payne.

I was speaking in terms of film noir more than anything else.

 

[Robert Crawford]

On the 2002 DVD there is a bonus segment in which a much younger Eddie conducted an interview with Colleen Gray. Eddie wrote some of his Dark City books before this interview as they made it clear this wasn't their first interview together. Ever since I first saw her in "Red River" I had a crush on her. She confided to Eddie she wanted to play the "bad" girl just once.

After watching this Blu-ray, I'm going to keep that 2002 DVD for that bonus segment as the DVD video presentation was awful. The 2007 DVD from MGM thru Fox has a much better video presentation. The 2016 Film Detective Blu-ray was better than I thought it would be, but, with some missing film grain. I'm not as sensitive to this as others, however, it was noticeable to me.

Not a great video presentation on Noir Alley. I loved Eddie's comments about a certain NYT film critic from yesteryear. It's quite funny how Jack Elam and Lee Van Cleef were both accountants before becoming actors known for playing "baddies". With those faces being accountants and a manager of Hotel Bel-Air.